The door opens sedately.
"Good morning. My mistress has been expecting you. Please follow me."
Led through well-appointed sitting rooms, ballrooms, and a grand stairway granting a view of an elaborate study, the party finally arrives on the third floor of the house. The servant knocks. "Mistress. The Society agents are here."
"Send them in." A woman's voice returns from beyond the door.
The servant opens the door and holds it for the party to enter.
A large intricate carpet dominates the marble floor in this sitting room. A chaise sits along the north wall and a desk spans the southeast corner, its chair positioned with its back to the southwest corner of the room. Three comfortable chairs are positioned around a small, low circular table.
Standing in the room is a beautiful human woman, hair slightly askew, in nothing but a red silk nightgown, slippers, and short, open robe--the Paracountess Zarta Dralneen.
"Campbellesque, you are dismissed. Close the door behind you and attend to your other tasks.” She then turns her attention to the group, inspecting them up and down as they enter. “It’s always so incredibly adorable when I see a fresh-faced batch of Pathfinders. I mean, look at you scrumptious little teacakes. I could eat each and every one of you up in one bite. Well, maybe not you.” Zarta says eyeing Lars. “I assume this isn’t a pleasure visit since most of you are terribly overdressed for that manner of occasion, so that must mean you are here for that trinket Valsin has been nagging me about. Seems I can’t get that man around these parts anymore,” she gestures, sliding her hand down her body and widening the gesture to sweep out and across the room as if her home were a secondary thought. “On the good side, he always sends me all the precious new recruits. If you are good boys and girls I might have uses for you in the future." Her gaze lingers on Lars again.
Then she catches Jeanne's eye. “Many think we in Cheliax serve and worship devils, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, we use the creatures for their power. They serve us and we sculpt their power in our own interests. The world must come to terms with the order of things. People need to know their place and operate accordingly. It is the only way to make order from this world. Too many people stretch too far beyond their station, making waves and eroding the true order. Those of a chaotic bent must be broken, made pliable, and ultimately... to serve... our desires....” Her eyes lock on Lars again. For the moment she speaks as if he is the only party member in the room with her.
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When they were finally let in and introduced to the paracountess one had to admire her flair for her introduction and showmanship, that and her curves, they were indeed a sight to behold. A grin touched his lips as he saw her making a move on Lars and he wondered if the man would even notice it. He turned his head to Jeanne and took in her reaction as well. For now, he remained quiet, just to see who would end up spending the next few hours in bed with the paracountess.
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Lars looks at the dwarf
Nothing wrong with war. Makes your blood boil, gives you a reason to be happy to live.
To the Paracountess
Any man would be flattered by your attention, and I am only a man. When I see you, Paracountess, I think that danger has never seem so tempting, so enticing, so gorgeous, to speak the truth. Alas, the Venture Captain has asked us to complete our mission in the briefest of times. But should our paths cross again, Paracountess, and if you still think I might be worthy of it, I would be happy to bravely test my will and my body in that kind of war. And if I must be defeated, I intend to be defeated after a long fight.
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You... use devils for their power? That must be something!Ilenna says slightly awestruck. Is that how this woman came to such beauty and station? Devils? Anyways, yes! We are here to retrieve that trinket. If we could just take it and be on our way... she says eyeballing the door. Something about this woman both struck her as awesome and terrifying.
"Hmm?" The Paracountess looks around for the source of the voice finally finding the dwarf behind Lars (and everyone else). "So. To the reason you are in study this morning. Ambrus's trinket is a seven-lock iron case. Its locks and mystic seals are quite challenging, and dangerous. I would advise you, my little teacakes, not to attempt opening the case before you return it to Ambrus, it is... quite, well-warded." She says a look of mixed conjecture, and disappointment playing upon her face.
A muffled crash comes from beyond closed the doors directly behind her causing Dralneen's expression to turn sullen.
Lars looks at the dwarf
Nothing wrong with war. Makes your blood boil, gives you a reason to be happy to live.
To the Paracountess
Any man would be flattered by your attention, and I am only a man. When I see you, Paracountess, I think that danger has never seem so tempting, so enticing, so gorgeous, to speak the truth. Alas, the Venture Captain has asked us to complete our mission in the briefest of times. But should our paths cross again, Paracountess, and if you still think I might be worthy of it, I would be happy to bravely test my will and my body in that kind of war. And if I must be defeated, I intend to be defeated after a long fight.
A few more crashes and booms drift out from beneath the room's obviously sound dampening doors, as Lars speaks. Is someone moving furniture around in there? The Paracountess takes little heed, instead listening to to the Ulfen. "Obviously it will not take all of you to return the box...."
"Hmm? Oh, that? Merely a misbehaving servant. Be a dear and deal with it, would you? It currently has Ambrus's box." She steps over to her desk, grabs up a sharp silver letter opener and tosses it handle first toward Jeanne. "Here, you might need that to get it to submit."
The Paracountess turns her attention back to Lars. "Where were we?"
"Who can tell?"
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Ilenna shoots Jeanna a condescending look. She just said she bends devils to her will. she begins closing the gap between her and Jeanna. I don't know much about devils, but I doubt they are well behaved. The last sentence is punctuated with Ilenna bending over, grabbing the letter opener, and snapping back up to keep giving Jeanna the stink eye.
Now... shall we? She asks the rest of the group as she moves to the door.
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He regarded the conversation between the 2 woman with mild interest, only to look up at the crashing sound from the other room once in a while. "It would be a minor thing to take care of it so that we can perform our requested task..." He motioned to Lars for a brief moment and with a wicked grin on his lips "Just be gentle with him, he's fragile and breaks easy..." And with that he moved towards the door.
Lars picks up the small, silvered weapon, and burst into the room, pushing aside the black clad man if needed
"Fragile", me? Let's see who's fragile!!
Zarta’s bed—err, tortu—err rumpus(!) room is decorated in the colors of Cheliax—ebon black and crimson red. Silk, rare woods, and carefully carved marble compose every bit of furniture in the room. Goose down now litters the room, covering almost every surface and the silken shreds of the cushions that contained it lie about like flayed skin. A post on the massive screened bed is snapped in half, collapsed on the bed and drawing the screened curtains into a ripped slope of formerly fine cloth. Vials of perfume and crystal jars of other cosmetics sit smashed on the marble floor around the dresser. A prominent fixture in the room, a large “X” made of stout wood sits along the west wall, complete with leather shackles and chains. A table sits to its left strewn with various items intended for pleasure, but outwardly resembling implements of pain.
Above the far side of the bed hovers a tiny, little, red gargoyle. It at Lars as he enters and hisses a terrifying challenge for something so small and tosses a heavy crystal vial him.
"NOT THE FACE!" Shouts the Paracountess reflexively.
The heavy crystal vial shatters to pieces against the wall next to Lars's head, filling the air with cloying peach scented perfume. The diabolical creature hisses again, and dives for cover amid the ruins of the bed.
Round 1 (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ [Tiny Grotesque Winged Thing]
__ Kendre
__ Abu
__ Ilenna
__ Jeanne
__ Anomander
__ Lars
"Why would you want such a foul creature as a servant?" Jeanne's eyes glow a faint silver as she heads after the others. "Well then, let's go deal with this malicious devil."
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Lars enters the room, givving space for someone else to come in
I don't know what you are, but I know where you are hidden..There is a lot of us, and you are alone. Besides, we are just passing by, so the Paracountess will have only you to blame if the furniture of her bedroom is damaged. Maybe you should consider surrendering?
Jeanne takes a step back from and drops the letter opener.
I suppose you don't want your bedroom damaged, Paracountess?
"You're cute when you're droll." Lars feels an unseen hand pinch his posterior. The Paracountess smiles form across the room.
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Ilenna looks at Lars with a look of complete exasperation. Will you keep it in your pants for two minutes while we handle this? The druid pushes past Lars and into the room with spear in hand. As she approaches cautiously, she keeps an eye out for the box and calls out to the creature. We don't mean you any harm! Just looking to retrieve something and be on our way!
A druid can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person. The druid rolls 1d20 and adds her druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result.
The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal must be able to study each other, which means that they must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
A druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.
The some among party enters the room only to find it a wreck.
The dwarf enters into the room, flail at the ready and will state
** spoiler omitted **
Round 1 (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ [Tiny Grotesque Winged Thing]
__ Kendre
__ Abu
__ Ilenna
__ Jeane
__ Anomander
__ Lars
Jeanne glances at Lars. "Yeah, yeah. You're not compensating for anything." Jeanne shakes her head and enters the room.
The door to the Paracountess' study opens and functionary returns with a stranger, Annuit. "I found him loitering in the shrubbery with Lord Gyr's press secretary."
"Again?"
"I set the hell hounds on him my lady." And with that he exits.
"Well?" The Paracountess says to Annuit. "Explain yourself."
Anomander excuses himself claiming laryngitis.
Abu guards the office door against further intrusion.
It's quiet in the room, too quiet....
Round 1 (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ [Tiny Grotesque Winged Thing]
__ Kendre
__ Abu
__ Ilenna
__ Jeanne
__ Annuit
__ Anomander
__ Lars
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Annuit coughs. "I came to inquire about utilizing your collections for some research I am pursuing. I was speaking with the lovely press secretary when one thing led to another as it often does in these modern times. The hellhounds were excessive, my lady."
He is a young elf of high breeding yet there is clearly dirt under his nails.
"My family has always had hell hounds. We've raise pedigreed Miniature Barbati, and Greyon Frise. My cousin raises Nessian Soul Shepherds. When this is all done I'll take to the East Wing. The main hall contains a series of portraits."
Round 1 (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ [Tiny Grotesque Winged Thing]
__ Kendre
__ Abu
__ Ilenna
__ Jeanne
__ Annuit
__ Anomander
__ Lars